Truck hit by Amtrak — one dead

Published
4:01 pm CDT, Thursday, June 4, 2015

ALTON — A man is dead after his truck was struck by an Amtrak passenger train Sunday morning at the Washington Avenue crossing in Alton.

According to Alton Fire Department Deputy Chief Mark Harris, the incident occurred a 9:28 a.m. Witnesses told authorities that a Chevy S-10 truck drove around the warning gates at the crossing and was struck. The man was likely attempting to beat the train, authorities said. The vehicle was pushed a half-mile down the tracks into a remote area behind Robert Wadlow Golf Course.

The man, who was not immediately identified by authorities, was pronounced dead at the scene. There were no injuries reported to passengers on the train.

Harris said rescue crews transported personnel and equipment to the site with the use of a Polaris Ranger utility vehicle owned by the Madison County Hazardous Materials Unit.

Crews extricated the victim there, and transported him to the hospital.

Harris said the vehicle was attached to the front of the train. The train was reversed to the Washington Ave. intersection, where the vehicle was detached.

Amtrak inspectors responded to the scene and deemed the train safe for travel. Crews were on scene for more than four hours, according to Harris. The train sustained minor damage. There was no damage to the tracks or crossing.